Innovation is about finding a better way of doing something. Like many of the new development buzzwords (which many of them are over-used on many business documents), the concept of innovation originates from the world of business. It refers to the generation of new products through the process of creative entrepreneurship, putting it into production, and diffusing it more widely through increased sales. Innovation can be viewed as t he application of better solutions that meet new requirements, in-articulated needs, or existing market needs. This is accomplished through more effective products, processes, services, technologies, or ideas that are readily available to markets, governments and society. The term innovation can be defined as something original and, as a consequence, new, that “breaks into” the market or society.
Innoveracy: Misunderstanding Innovation article points out that there is a form of ignorance which seems to be universal: the inability to understand the concept and role of innovation. The way this is exhibited is in the misuse of the term and the inability to discern the difference between novelty, creation, invention and innovation. The result is a failure to understand the causes of success and failure in business and hence the conditions that lead to economic growth. The definition of innovation is easy to find but it seems to be hard to understand. Here is a simple taxonomy of related activities that put innovation in context:
- Novelty: Something new
- Creation: Something new and valuable
- Invention: Something new, having potential value through utility
- Innovation: Something new and uniquely useful
The taxonomy is illustrated with the following diagram.
The differences are also evident in the mechanisms that exist to protect the works: Novelties are usually not protectable, Creations are protected by copyright or trademark, Inventions can be protected for a limited time through patents (or kept secret) and Innovations can be protected through market competition but are not defensible through legal means.
Innovation is a lot of talked about nowdays as essential to businesses to do. Is innovation essential for development work? article tells that innovation has become central to the way development organisations go about their work. In November 2011, Bill Gates told the G20 that innovation was the key to development. Donors increasingly stress innovation as a key condition for funding, and many civil society organisations emphasise that innovation is central to the work they do.
Some innovation ideas are pretty simple, and some are much more complicated and even sound crazy when heard first. The is place for crazy sounding ideas: venture capitalists are gravely concerned that the tech startups they’re investing in just aren’t crazy enough:
Not all development problems require new solutions, sometimes you just need to use old things in a slightly new way. Development innovations may involve devising technology (such as a nanotech water treatment kit), creating a new approach (such as microfinance), finding a better way of delivering public services (such as one-stop egovernment service centres), identifying ways of working with communities (such as participation), or generating a management technique (such as organisation learning).
Theorists of innovation identify innovation itself as a brief moment of creativity, to be followed by the main routine work of producing and selling the innovation. When it comes to development, things are more complicated. Innovation needs to be viewed as tool, not master. Innovation is a process, not a one time event. Genuine innovation is valuable but rare.
There are many views on the innovation and innvation process. I try to collect together there some views I have found on-line. Hopefully they help you more than confuze. Managing complexity and reducing risk article has this drawing which I think pretty well describes innovation as done in product development:
8 essential practices of successful innovation from The Innovator’s Way shows essential practices in innovation process. Those practices are all integrated into a non-sequential, coherent whole and style in the person of the innovator.
In the IT work there is lots of work where a little thinking can be a source of innovation. Automating IT processes can be a huge time saver or it can fail depending on situation. XKCD comic strip Automation as illustrates this:
System integration is a critical element in project design article has an interesting project cost influence graphic. The recommendation is to involve a system integrator early in project design to help ensure high-quality projects that satisfy project requirements. Of course this article tries to market system integration services, but has also valid points to consider.
Core Contributor Loop (CTTDC) from Art Journal blog posting Blog Is The New Black tries to link inventing an idea to theory of entrepreneurship. It is essential to tune the engine by making improvements in product, marketing, code, design and operations.
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Tomi Engdahl says:
Magnetic Memory Breakthrough: Physicists Observe an Exotic “Multiferroic” State in an Atomically Thin Material
https://scitechdaily.com/magnetic-memory-breakthrough-physicists-observe-an-exotic-multiferroic-state-in-an-atomically-thin-material/
Tomi Engdahl says:
Solar Hack Opens Channel to Practical Desalination 300 million people get their water via costly purification tech today—is a simpler solution at hand?
https://spectrum.ieee.org/solar-desalination-tech?share_id=6933133
Tomi Engdahl says:
World’s Smallest Battery Can Power Computers the Size of a Grain of Dust
Researchers used the Swiss-roll process to enable on-chip batteries for dust-sized computers.
https://www.hackster.io/news/world-s-smallest-battery-can-power-computers-the-size-of-a-grain-of-dust-80c12f3bf4c8
Tomi Engdahl says:
The first room-temperature superconductor has finally been found
The compound conducts electricity without resistance up to 15° C, but only under high pressure
https://www.sciencenews.org/article/physics-first-room-temperature-superconductor-discovery
Tomi Engdahl says:
https://www.sciencealert.com/quantum-gravity-sensor-enables-us-to-look-under-earth-s-surface-in-scientific-first
Tomi Engdahl says:
Arkemme muuttuu pienin askelin – Tulevaisuudentutkija: mobiiliverkko on suurin elämäämme muovannut keksintö
https://www.telia.fi/artikkelit/artikkeli/mobiiliverkot-on-ihmiskunnan-mullistavin-keksinto-sanoo-tulevaisuudentutkija-newsroom?fbclid=IwAR28eyQk_TvC0VnhM-CZlVdDCbJel68QdbV-9N26RJbV3a9Q6UKR-B4r6zI
Tomi Engdahl says:
ONKO TEKNOLOGIA HYVÄN VAI PAHAN PUOLELLA? VASTAUS ON IHMINEN.
https://blog.netprofile.fi/onko-teknologia-hyvan-vai-pahan-puolella-vastaus-on-ihminen
Teknologian kasvot ovat rumat ja kauniit. Yksi unelmoi robottien pyörittämistä tehtaista, toinen visioi vallanhimoisten androidien noususta. Teknologia on murrosvoima, joka käynnistää ja vauhdittaa radikaaleja muutoksia. Kyky navigoida teknologiaan liittyvien eettisten kysymysten äärellä tulee erottamaan menestyvät organisaatiot kartettavista hylkiöistä.
Muutoksen tuomat seuraukset eivät ole neutraaleja. On harhaista kuvitella, että uusi teknologia otettaisiin vastaan samanlaisella innolla, jolla sitä kehitetään. Uuden teknologian lanseeraukseen on syytä valmistautua skenaarioajattelulla, jossa eettisellä pohdinnalla on vahva rooli.
Tomi Engdahl says:
Physicists harness electrons to make ‘synthetic dimensions’
https://phys.org/news/2022-02-physicists-harness-electrons-synthetic-dimensions.html
Tomi Engdahl says:
Ground Glass Secret Keys Could Deliver High-Performance High-Security Facial Recognition Systems
By scattering light into “speckles” for input into a specially-trained neural network, this cryptosystem works at the speed of light.
https://www.hackster.io/news/ground-glass-secret-keys-could-deliver-high-performance-high-security-facial-recognition-systems-a0bca9fc9f2d
Tomi Engdahl says:
‘Exciton surfing’ could enable next-gen energy, computing and communications tech
https://phys.org/news/2022-02-exciton-surfing-enable-next-gen-energy.html
This chip can move excitons with acoustic waves. The achievement paves the way for building efficient devices that use excitons for applications in data communication and processing, sensing and energy conversion. Credit: Silvia Cardarelli
A quasiparticle that forms in semiconductors can now be moved around at room temperature, a University of Michigan-led study has shown. The finding could cool down computers, enabling faster speeds and higher efficiencies, and potentially make LEDs and solar panels more efficient.
Tomi Engdahl says:
Strange Quantum Object Successfully Created in The Lab For The First Time
https://www.sciencealert.com/scientists-create-a-new-type-of-quantum-object-in-the-lab-domain-walls
Tomi Engdahl says:
https://scitechdaily.com/a-new-theoretical-concept-interweaves-magnetism-and-topology-revolutionary-future-potential/
Tomi Engdahl says:
https://hackaday.com/2022/03/10/how-did-we-get-to-the-speed-of-light/
Tomi Engdahl says:
Quantum laser defies textbooks
https://www.natureindex.com/institution-outputs/south-korea/korea-advanced-institute-of-science-and-technology-kaist/5139072d34d6b65e6a002170?utm_source=facebook&utm_medium=social&utm_campaign=nindx-Mar22RH&utm_content=KAI&fbclid=IwAR2C950iNyYJpR7QVbHJQQhF7DDYW1jThA_GjV3ChBEkAfGRMX28H0Yc1rc#highlight
Tomi Engdahl says:
All-optical attoclock for imaging tunnelling wavepackets
https://phys.org/news/2022-03-all-optical-attoclock-imaging-tunnelling-wavepackets.html
Tomi Engdahl says:
Scientists confirm thermonuclear fusion in a sheared-flow Z-pinch device
https://phys.org/news/2022-03-scientists-thermonuclear-fusion-sheared-flow-z-pinch.html
Tomi Engdahl says:
https://phys.org/news/2022-02-common-insulators-superior-superconductors.html
Tomi Engdahl says:
New DNA Computer Assesses Water Quality: Genetic Networks Mimic Electronic Circuits
https://scitechdaily.com/new-dna-computer-assesses-water-quality-genetic-networks-mimic-electronic-circuits/
Tomi Engdahl says:
LOOKING AT 2030: THE FUTURE OF ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE AND METAVERSE
https://www.analyticsinsight.net/looking-at-2030-the-future-of-artificial-intelligence-and-metaverse/
Tomi Engdahl says:
https://phys.org/news/2022-02-abnormally-strong-absorption-graphene.html
Tomi Engdahl says:
https://phys.org/news/2022-03-semiconductor-properties-revealed-method.html
Tomi Engdahl says:
NASA Just Saw Something Come Out Of A Black Hole For The First Time Ever
https://www.physics-astronomy.com/2022/03/nasa-just-saw-something-come-out-of.html
You don’t need to be an expert in science to understand that black holes often pull things in rather than spit them out. However, NASA has just discovered something quite weird around the supermassive black hole Markarian 335.
Two NASA satellite telescopes, including the Nuclear Spectroscopic Telescope Array (NuSTAR), witnessed a black hole’s corona being “launched” away from a supermassive black hole. Then a huge burst of X-ray energy emitted. So, what precisely happened? That is what scientists are currently trying to understand.
“This is the first time we have been able to link the launching of the corona to a flare,” Dan Wilkins, of Saint Mary’s University, said. “This will help us understand how supermassive black holes power some of the brightest objects in the universe.”
Tomi Engdahl says:
Innovative new magnet could facilitate development of fusion and medical devices
https://phys.org/news/2022-03-magnet-fusion-medical-devices.html
Tomi Engdahl says:
Physicists steer chemical reactions by magnetic fields and quantum interference
New research provides insights into how quantum mechanics can control ultracold chemistry.
https://news.mit.edu/2022/physicists-steer-chemical-reactions-magnetic-fields-quantum-interference-0308
Tomi Engdahl says:
PHYSICISTS FIND PARTICLES THAT SWITCH BETWEEN MATTER AND ANTIMATTER
https://futurism.com/the-byte/particles-switch-matter-antimatter
Tomi Engdahl says:
Stronger and Faster Than Lightning: Scientists Achieve Rare Quantum State in Polycrystals
https://scitechdaily.com/stronger-and-faster-than-lightning-scientists-achieve-rare-quantum-state-in-polycrystals/
Tomi Engdahl says:
https://www.iflscience.com/technology/youtuber-wins-world-record-for-worlds-first-retractable-lightsaber/
Tomi Engdahl says:
Potilas kuoli kesken aivojen kuvantamisen – filmille tallentui jotain yllättävää
Tutkijat ovat ensi kertaa saaneet näyttöä siitä, mitä aivoissa tapahtuu kuoleman hetkellä.
https://www.iltalehti.fi/terveysuutiset/a/b724981f-483c-49cb-a0f4-188258137fa8
Life may actually flash before your eyes on death – new study
https://www.bbc.com/news/world-us-canada-60495730
A replay of life: What happens in our brain when we die?
https://blog.frontiersin.org/2022/02/22/what-happens-in-our-brain-when-we-die/
Tomi Engdahl says:
Chinese researchers create the world’s smallest transistor gate
Behold the side-wall transistor, possibly the last node for Moore’s Law
https://www.techspot.com/news/93745-chinese-researchers-create-world-smallest-transistor-gate.html
More specifically, we can’t make transistor gates—which control the flow of current from the source to the drain—much smaller than 5 nm because of something called quantum tunneling that prevents them from working as intended. Materials like graphene and carbon nanotubes might be vital to making transistors even smaller thanks to their physical properties, but getting from there to building functional devices will take a while.
In a paper released this week, Chinese researchers explain they’ve created a transistor with the smallest gate length ever reported. This milestone was made possible by creatively utilizing graphene and molybdenum disulfide and stacking them into a staircase structure with two steps.
The trick to this design is that the edge of the graphene sheet is used, which means that when the gate is set to the “on” state, it’s only 0.34 nm wide—essentially the width of the graphene layer itself. Another notable feature of this “side-wall transistor” is its negligible current leakage due to higher off-state resistance. Manufacturers could leverage this quality for low-power applications. Best of all, it would be relatively easy to make, although many of the prototypes required quite a bit of voltage to drive.
Tomi Engdahl says:
https://phys.org/news/2022-03-physicists-frequencies-easily-special-circuitry.html
Tomi Engdahl says:
https://spectrum.ieee.org/smallest-transistor-one-carbon-atom?share_id=6953813
Tomi Engdahl says:
https://www.tomshardware.com/news/semi-transistors-atom-thick
Tomi Engdahl says:
This Diamond Transistor is Still Raw, But Its Future Looks Bright Researchers in Japan have developed a diamond FET with high hole mobility
https://spectrum.ieee.org/this-diamond-transistor-is-still-raw-but-its-future-looks-bright?share_id=6961778
Tomi Engdahl says:
PV Moisture-Wicking Tech Gives New Meaning to “Solar Farm” Hydrogels plus solar panels can convert sunlight into energy plus water and crops
https://spectrum.ieee.org/hydrogel-pv-solar?share_id=6959483
Tomi Engdahl says:
https://arstechnica.com/gadgets/2022/03/a-brief-tour-of-the-pdp-11-the-most-influential-minicomputer-of-all-time/
Tomi Engdahl says:
https://physicsworld.com/a/could-optical-brain-imaging-helmets-be-the-future-of-wearable-technology/
Tomi Engdahl says:
https://www.thomann.de/blog/fi/synestesia-musiikki-vaereinae/
Tomi Engdahl says:
Novel “Auxetic Meta-Display” Widens as It Stretches to Keep Images in the Correct Aspect Ratio
Designed for everything from wearables to medical use, this flexible and stretchable display keeps everything in a perfect aspect ratio.
https://www.hackster.io/news/novel-auxetic-meta-display-widens-as-it-stretches-to-keep-images-in-the-correct-aspect-ratio-26100e1ae28a
Tomi Engdahl says:
The British government reportedly asked when Microsoft would ‘get rid’ of algorithms
https://www.windowscentral.com/british-government-reported-asked-when-microsoft-would-get-rid-algorithms
Tomi Engdahl says:
140-year-old rusty batteries offer huge breakthrough for energy storage
New method could revolutionise energy storage for large-scale renewable operations
https://www.independent.co.uk/tech/batteries-lithium-ion-metal-air-b2036356.html#Echobox=1647402619
Tomi Engdahl says:
“We wanted to take light and convert it into matter.” Wish fulfilled.
SCIENTISTS MANAGED TO TAKE PURE ENERGY AND CREATE MATTER — AND NEW PHYSICS
https://www.inverse.com/science/einstein-light-matter?utm_campaign=inverse&utm_content=1647443460&utm_medium=owned&utm_source=facebook
“We wanted to take light and convert it into matter.” Wish fulfilled.
E = MC2 MAY BE the most quotidian equation in physics. Everyone’s heard of it and it’s been proven time and again. Did you convert mass into energy? Go tell it to the stars, whose light is generated from mass lost during nuclear fusion.
But there is another way to imagine this fundamental equation.
“You can actually look at this process from both sides,” Daniel Brandenburg, a physicist at Brookhaven National Laboratory, tells Inverse.
“In our case, we wanted to take light and convert it into matter.”
That it turns out is a lot less mundane.
Tomi Engdahl says:
https://www.iflscience.com/editors-blog/in-1972-mit-scientists-predicted-a-global-collapse-this-century-new-data-may-prove-them-correct/
Tomi Engdahl says:
Laying the groundwork for a more resilient planet
Using cutting-edge education and research, Tohoku University aims to help resolve environmental and social issues through its Green Goals Initiative.
https://www.nature.com/articles/d42473-021-00595-5?utm_source=facebook&utm_medium=social&utm_campaign=HSCR_NINDX_ENGM_GL_CEAP_TOHOK_CF-TOP5_22&fbclid=IwAR37NNzArwczQsGxG8-vObQG8NETlhN31l7SdhzEXELZSy3rJHcogo9Mvp0
Tomi Engdahl says:
The forgotten medieval habit of ‘two sleeps’
https://www.bbc.com/future/article/20220107-the-lost-medieval-habit-of-biphasic-sleep
For millennia, people slept in two shifts – once in the evening, and once in the morning. But why? And how did the habit disappear?
Tomi Engdahl says:
Is Information The Fifth State Of Matter? Physicist Aims To Prove It Is
https://www.iflscience.com/physics/information-fifth-state-matter-physicist-aims-prove/
Tomi Engdahl says:
https://www.iflscience.com/brain/patient-in-complete-lockedin-state-communicates-through-brainwave-reader/
Tomi Engdahl says:
Watch This Fish “Drive” To His Mom To Get Treats
https://www.facebook.com/thedodosite/videos/watch-this-fish-drive-to-his-mom-to-get-treats/1056980171698083/
Tomi Engdahl says:
How did Christianity become so toxic?
https://weeklysift.com/2022/03/14/how-did-christianity-become-so-toxic/
If you devote much of your time to trying to make the world a better place, you’ve probably noticed a paradox.
On the one hand, some of your most dedicated co-workers are church people. You may not have realized it right away, because they’re not the kind of Christians who say “Praise the Lord” whenever something good happens. Rather than preach at you or try to lead the group in prayer, they just show up and share the work: ladle the soup, stuff the envelopes, hammer the nails, make the phone calls. Only after you spend some down time talking do you start to understand what motivates them: They think some guy named Jesus had some pretty good ideas about healing the sick, feeding the hungry, and welcoming the stranger.
But at the same time, when you look at the bigger picture, it’s hard to escape the idea that Christianity is your enemy. The loudest, best-funded, and best-organized groups working to make the world harsher, crueler, and less forgiving are the ones waving the cross. There’s nothing subtle about it. All their rhetoric is about what God wants, what God hates, and the “Christian values” that the law should impose on Christians and non-Christians alike.
And strangest of all, those “Christian values” seldom have anything to do with healing the sick, feeding the hungry, or welcoming the stranger. These followers of the Prince of Peace aspire to be “spiritual warriors“. They revere a man whose self-sacrifice brought forgiveness to the world, but their focus is on punishment.
The name of Jesus shows up in every paragraph of their rhetoric; his teachings, not so much.
Tomi Engdahl says:
https://www.cseinsider.com/2022/03/a-new-form-of-ice-discovered-by.html
Tomi Engdahl says:
Quantum Behavior of Massive Objects: Gravitational Wave Mirror Experiments Can Evolve Into Quantum Entities
https://scitechdaily.com/quantum-behavior-of-massive-objects-gravitational-wave-mirror-experiments-can-evolve-into-quantum-entities/